chain saw sharpening

[Egon]

A C clamp on the bar and then clamp that into a vise will really help hold things steady for sharpening. Also make sure the chain is tight on the bar. Practice also helps and don't do it if you are tired.

I believe many fellows try and stand in front of the bar when sharpening??

 

[tony123]

I don't have too much experience, but I'm also using the dremel. They sell an attachment that is specifically for this. It's basically a gauged grinding bit with a metal guide.

I've kept my first chain for 6 months of pretty heavy use. Probably have done about 5-6 cords. It's at the end of its rope now.

The kit was $12.

 

[workinallthetime]

i mounted mine sitting on a piece of wood with the bar in a vice, between the vice and the bar were 2 rubber isolators off something. i guess tomorrow i will found out how well i did, got a full day of work with the kubota, the saw, and the 4 wheeler.

 

[teg]

Cutting for the day... sharpen at lunch and when you are done. If you hit the dirt or a rock, stop right then and re-sharpen. That will teach you not to do it again I aways used a file but finally used a dremel... boy is that nice. It takes a little more off then I like but it saves time. Sharpen chains is better seen, instead of talking about. I've gone threw 8 chains (which means the rivots wear down and I throw the chain out front ).

I've showed many friends how to sharpen and it's an Art more then a science.

 

[randy41]

If you have trouble getting consistant angles with a guide, use a sharpie marker to draw the correct angle on each tooth & file parallel to the line. MikeD74T

this is a great suggestion. the last chain i bought (i don't know what brand) has the angle etched into the tooth.

 

[1948berg]

Listen to chainsaws operating in suburbs ! You can hear blocks away that they need sharpening.
Professionals sharpen several times a day.
Sometimes its OK to do it with a grinder, thats when you have hit a stone or metal, and need to file a lot to make the teeth the same size again.

 

[billbill1]

I have a 4" vise on a workbench, I clamp the bar in the middle of the bar and sharpen one side of the chain. I mark the first tooth I sharpen with a red magic marker to know where I started. After I have went completely around the chain, I take the saw out of the vise and put the bar facing the other way. Starting on the first tooth behind the marked tooth and work my way around that side of the chain. 3 strokes per tooth everytime. Like mentioned before keep the rakers about .025 below the front edge of the cutter, this makes a huge difference. I too have the HF sharpener but I prefer the hand filed method, I can do a chain faster and better by hand. If you use an electric sharpener, be sure to just "kiss" the stone to the chain or you will overheat the cutter. If you are getting a blue tint to the cutter, you're staying on that tooth too long. The electric sharpeners will use up a chain much quicker than filing by hand. Flip the bar every other time you remove it from the saw. Keep the narrowest side down.

 

[mahlers]

I use a Dremel attachment, too - what a timesaver. I can do a whole 36" bar in less than five minutes, and that's when I'm taking my time to really do it right. The downside to the Dremel is you can only do a round cut - if you have square cut teeth, you have no choice but to round them out. It's not really a big deal, but the square cut teeth do seem to cut a little faster. Also, don't forget to wear your safety glasses - things do fly out fast with a tool that's spinning 20,000 RPM.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Wear glove on your pusher hand when hand sharpening. Use the nails on your bare hand to check sharpness. [Check that sharpened tooth will grab into or shave the back of your nail.]
larry

 

[ToadHill]

Remember your trying to sharpen the top inside of the tooth. I always hook the file into the tooth and lift just a bit before I slide the file.